Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for July 9, 2018

By Emily Blahnik

Wall Street Journal, New Effort for Lyme Disease Vaccine Draws Early Fire by Sumathi Reddy — Gregory Poland, director of the vaccine research group at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., published a 2011 study in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases detailing what happened with the previous Lyme vaccine and lessons learned from it. Lymerix, he says, “was actually very effective” but multiple factors led to its withdrawal. “In this country you can protect your dog with a vaccine for Lyme disease but you can’t protect yourself or your child,” says Dr. Poland. “We have a public health problem in this country with a disease that has short-, mid- and long-term consequences and for which all other prevention methods are wholly inadequate.”

Reuters, Hormone therapy poses stroke risk for transgender women by Gene Emery — The risk of a dangerous type of blood clot, called a venous thromboembolism, nearly doubles for people transitioning from male to female compared to both non-transgender men and women, researchers reported in Annals of Internal Medicine...“I don’t think this would dissuade anyone” from transitioning because the process is so important to those who feel they need it, Dr. Alice Chang, an assistant professor in the division of endocrinology, metabolism, diabetes and nutrition at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told Reuters Health by phone. Chang, who was not involved in the research, said most doctors usually discuss such risks with patients, based on suggestions of an elevated risk of heart disease and stroke seen in smaller studies of people who have received hormone therapy for other reasons. Until now, the data on whether gender confirming medical therapy treatment poses cardiovascular risks has been sparse.

Reuters, Physician burnout a key driver of medical errors by Anne Harding — Burnout is a work-related syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism and feeling less effective on the job, Dr. Tawfik explained. Health care workers - and anyone else with a stressful job involving intensive interaction with other people - are at particularly high risk of burnout. More than half of physicians are estimated to have burnout, while 45 percent report excessive fatigue, Dr. Tawfik and his colleagues note in their report in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Additional coverage:Healthcare Dive, HealthExec, Becker’s Hospital Review, Forbes, Axios, Fierce Healthcare, CBS News

Today.com, 8 foods cardiologists try to avoid by A. Pawlowski — “There isn’t a food that will save your life … And there isn’t one that’s going to kill you. It is about balance,” said Dr. Sharonne Hayes, professor of cardiovascular medicine and founder of the Women's Heart Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “So the occasional Cheeto or piece of cheesecake isn’t going to kill you, but it really is what you eat and how much you eat that’s so critical.”…TODAY asked Freeman and Hayes to share some of the top foods they try to avoid or limit for optimal health. Here are eight of the items on their lists…

ABC News, Late-life high blood pressure may harm the brain, study says by Marilynn Marchione — Autopsies on nearly 1,300 older people, including about 640 clergy members, found more signs of damage and one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in the brains of those with higher blood pressure than among those with pressure closer to normal, researchers reported Wednesday…"Lower blood pressure reduces the risk of those blood vessel blockages" that can cause a silent stroke, said another independent expert, the Mayo Clinic's Dr. David Knopman. The work shows that "treating blood pressure throughout the lifespan is important." Additional coverage:Star Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Denver Post

STAT, 4 burning questions after Biogen’s $12 billion Alzheimer’s surprise by Damian Garde — Biogen (BIIB) is worth $12 billion more on Friday than it was the night before thanks to some surprising, if nebulous, new data on an in-development treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The news is undoubtedly positive, but just how positive is a question that has all of biotech puzzling…Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, told Forbes on Thursday that the field will “have to be cautiously optimistic about a finding like this,” and that’s about as positive a statement one can responsibly make when it comes to amyloid.

Forbes, Biogen And Eisai Say Alzheimer's Drug A Success, Reversing Earlier Result by Matthew Harper — A complicated new clinical trial could give some hope to Alzheimer's patients and investors in drug companies. But there are lots of devilish details. Drugmakers Biogen and Eisai said the top dose of an experimental Alzheimer's drug slowed deadly brain-destroying disease over the course of 18 months in patients in the milder, early stages of the disease, reversing an earlier result from the same study that showed the drug had no benefit at 12 months. Full data were not released, but will be unveiled at a future medical meeting. "Given the state of the field we have to be cautiously optimistic about a finding like this," says Ron Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, who consults for Biogen. It's been more than a decade since any Alzheimer's drug has proved helpful. Additional coverage:Endpoints News, Post-Bulletin, LA Biz, CNBC, ABC News

HealthDay, Doctor Burnout Widespread, Helps Drive Many Medical Errors by Alan Mozes — More than half of American doctors are burned out, a new national survey suggests, and those doctors are more likely to make medical mistakes. The poll asked nearly 6,700 clinic and hospital physicians about medical errors, workplace safety, and symptoms of workplace burnout, fatigue, depression and suicidal thoughts. More than 10 percent said they had committed at least one significant medical mistake in the three months leading up to the survey, and investigators concluded that those suffering from burnout were twice as likely to make a medical error…The study was published online July 9 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Additional coverage:Fortune, Science Daily, US News & World Report, Medscape, ABC News, Medical Daily, KBTX, KTAR, Atlanta Journal Constitution

Los Angeles Times, This drug cocktail reduced signs of age-related diseases and extended life in mice and human cells by Melissa Healy — It’s a science called senolytics — the dissolution or gradual decline of old age. In research published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, a group led by Mayo Clinic anti-aging researcher James Kirkland not only offers a clear look at the power of senescent cells to drive the aging process, but also a pharmaceutical cocktail that, in mice at least, can slow and even reverse it… Does this suggest the researchers have found a fountain of youth? No, said Kirkland, who is a geriatrician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “And we’re not looking for one.” The objective, he said, is not so much to extend the human lifespan as to extend the “healthspan” — the period during which a person can live a life largely free of disease or other impairments. Additional coverage:HealthDay, TIME, Science Daily, US News & World Report, STAT, Daily Mail, Post-Bulletin

Prevention, 7 Side Effects to Prepare for Before You Get the Mirena IUD by Emily Shiffer — IUDs are incredibly effective at preventing pregnancy—but they can also mess with your body. … You may not be able to have a baby for a while … An IUD thickens your cervical mucus, which acts as a bit of wall for sperm trying to break through, says Petra Casey, MD, gynecologist at the Mayo Clinic. While IUDs are incredibly effective in preventing pregnancy, that effect may last longer than you’d prefer.

Live Science, Here’s What You Need to Know About Wet Bathing Suits and Yeast Infections by Rafi Letzter — Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah, an OB-GYN at the Mayo Clinic, said that wearing a wet bathing suit for an extended period of time may increase a woman's risk of a yeast infection, though it isn't a direct cause. "If the question is, 'Will a wet bathing suit cause a yeast infection?' the answer is 'no,'" Butler Tobah told Live Science. "But it can increase the risk, depending on how long you're sitting in it." Additional coverage:Express UK

Reader’s Digest, 9 Fatty Liver Symptoms You Need to Watch Out For by Claire Nowak — Typically, consuming too much alcohol is a primary cause of fat build-up in the liver, but those with NAFLD may not drink much alcohol at all. Approximately 30 percent of the entire U.S. population has this disease, and Dr. Harmeet Malhi, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic, says it is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Though it causes no permanent damage, NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can result in cirrhosis (irreversible scarring of the liver) or liver cancer.

Chicago Tribune, An opportunity 'to eliminate a cancer': Boosting HPV vaccination rates starts in pediatrician's office, experts say by Kate Thayer — The words they choose when presenting the vaccine can make a difference, said Dr. Robert Jacobson, professor of pediatrics at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Studies of patient-doctor interactions show “clinicians tend to make (the HPV vaccine) sound optional rather than give them a strong recommendation,” he said. Even physicians who recommend the HPV vaccine often offer it separately from those required by schools, Jacobson added. “What’s often heard is, ‘Well, your child is due for a Tdap and meningitis vaccine. What are your thoughts on (the flu shot) and the HPV vaccine?’” Jacobson said. “That kind of language … doesn’t sound like they’re routinely recommending all children have it. We’re sending the wrong message,” he said.

Daily Mail, Two existing drugs may boost lifespan: 'Exciting' study reveals common chemo pill could be taken every six months to stave off the aging process by Mary Keratos — The team, from the Mayo Clinic and the National Institute on Aging (NIA), hopes that by this treatment could help combat a number of age-related diseases simultaneously rather than conventional treatment which takes care of each one individually. 'I think that this research is very exciting,' Dr Felipe Sierra, director of NIA's Division of Aging Biology, told Daily Mail Online. 'These are regular mice that are aging normally. So we're not focusing on any of the diseases they may have. You're just treating aging. 'Rather than eradicate each disease individually, if you address aging, you get rid of all the diseases and not just one.' Additional coverage:Xinhua

Post-Bulletin, Travel Scene: Elite Airways to offer flights to Phoenix and St. August by Bob Retzlaff — Rochester International Airport passenger service takes a big step forward in a few days with the start of Elite Airways flights to two southern destinations: Phoenix and St. Augustine, Fla. Elite, headquartered in Portland, Maine, will offer twice-a-week service beginning July 19 to the two cities, which have the advantage of a close proximity of Mayo Clinic key facilities — in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Jacksonville, Fla. This factor, of course, was a prime reason for Elite operating here, with both destinations expected to draw heavily from Mayo Clinic personnel and the Rochester business community, in addition to their attraction to warm weather-seeking vacationers.

Post-Bulletin, Healthy sugar? by Anne Halliwell — Added sugar is a “quadruple whammy” — it’s a source of excess calories, doesn’t contribute real nutritional value (such as fiber or vitamins) to the diet, and it’s linked to dental inflammation and higher risk of diabetes and cardiac disease. Consuming sugary processed foods also displaces other, better-for-you foods from your diet. So, no, “from a health standpoint, sugar is not the best,” said Dr. Donald Hensrud, a public health and general preventative medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic…“The effect, overall, of sugars, depends on the amount we consume, as well as what is present along with the sugars,” Hensrud said.

KIMT, IA woman at St. Mary's waits for Heart Transplant by Katie Lange — One of the hundreds of thousands of patients waiting for a transplant is here at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester. Thirty-four year-old Rebecca Imhoff has spent the last 300-plus days at the hospital. "Been waiting for a heart," explained Imhoff. She has been on the transplant list for more than two years. Born with Congenital Heart Defect, Imhoff has been a fighter since birth…Director of Mayo Clinic's Transplant Center, Dr. Charles Rosen, shared grim statistics, "We estimate that about 20-people die each day off of the national waiting list without getting an organ".

KTTC, Rochester Fire Department works with Mayo Clinic, Limb Lab for training simulation by Ala Errebhi — The Rochester Fire Department collaborated with Mayo Clinic and Limb Lab for an Emergency Medical Services training simulation Wednesday. RFD conducted their training at Mayo Clinic's Multidisciplinary Simulation Center. The training is part of RFD's monthly EMS training to keep their skills up. The simulation center is a state-of-the art facility where Mayo staff can put on "live" simulations that test first responders' abilities to assess and treat different medical situations. Additional coverage:KIMT

Twin Cities Business, Mayo Clinic Researcher Cites Positive Results for Cologuard-Style Liver Cancer Test by Don Jacobson — A prominent Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist who co-invented the Cologuard stool test for colorectal cancer now says he and his colleagues at Exact Sciences Corp. have also developed a highly accurate blood DNA test for detecting liver cancer. Dr. John Kisiel, a consultant in Mayo’s gastroenterology and hepatology division and an assistant medical school professor, originally co-developed the cancer-detection method used in Cologuard, which was licensed to Madison, Wisconsin-based Exact Sciences under a 2009 scientific collaboration and venture capital investment.

Star Tribune, Two 'upper-middle-aged' Twin Cities folks show that learning something new enriches your life by Richard Chin — Studies have shown that “sustained engagement” — learning how to do something new and challenging — can have cognitive benefits for older adults. In fact, a 2014 University of Texas experiment concluded that memory function for older adults might be helped by engaging in “cognitively demanding, novel activities.”… “In aging, you have to guard against taking the easy way out,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. “Aging need not be a passive process.”

Star Tribune, Health briefs: Stress disorders tied to autoimmune disease — Patients with pancreatic cancer can develop elevated blood sugar levels up to three years before their cancer diagnosis, said a study by Mayo Clinic researchers published the journal Gastroenterology. The model, called an ENDPAC score, identifies a subset of patients with new onset diabetes that have a 30 to 40-fold higher risk of having pancreatic cancer. “We believe that if these findings are validated, patients who have a high blood sugar and a high ENDPAC score should be thoroughly tested for pancreatic cancer,” said Suresh Chari, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic.

Pioneer Press, Paralyzed hockey player Jack Jablonski can wiggle his toes and he has the video to prove it by Sarah Horner — …His foundation, the Jack Jablonski Bel13ve in Miracles Foundation, is currently raising money to support a trial study through Mayo Clinic that is testing the effectiveness of epidural stimulation on paralysis, Leslie Jablonski said. Additional coverage:Grand Forks Herald, Star Tribune

KARE 11, VERIFY: Which picnic foods go bad the quickest? by Cory Hepola — Are you sure you should be eating that? Our question: Which picnic foods go bad the quickest? We asked that to Angie Murad, a wellness dietitian at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program. "Foods that go bad the quickest are typically high-protein foods," said Murad, pointing specifically at chicken, beef, salads with eggs, and mayonnaise. They're breeding grounds for food-borne illnesses. "Typically, some of the symptoms could be GI discomfort, can be bad with vomiting, diarrhea," said Murad.

Florida Times-Union, Hospitals in Northeast Florida keep construction contractors busy by Charlie Patton — On July 26 the Dorothy J. and Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Building, a five-story, 190,000-square-foot structure that will expand the Mayo Clinic’s cancer, neurological and neurosurgical care programs, will have a dedication ceremony. The Mangurian Building is part of $300 million in construction projects Mayo has undertaken since Gianrico Farrugia became Mayo’s CEO in Jacksonville in 2015. That’s a lot of construction. But Mayo is hardly unique among Jacksonville hospitals when it comes to construction projects. Baptist Health is nearing completion or has recently completed construction projects at four of its campuses. St. Vincent’s HealthCare has begun work on a new $55 million pavilion on its Riverside campus. Memorial Hospital is adding patient rooms and operating rooms and renovating and enlarging its emergency room.

Jacksonville Business Journal, Welcome to Appsonville: Tips from First Coast technologists on turning ideas into reality by Will Robinson — The barriers of entry for building an app have all but disappeared: Anyone with coding knowledge or the means to pay for those with such skills can do so fairly easily. But building a successful business based on an app is a different endeavor, requiring entrepreneurs to develop, secure, scale, monetize and market their app. Mayo Clinic, which developed an Alexa skill for first-aid tips, similarly had a complex development process. Before the app-development team, based in Minnesota, could build an app, editors had to find a way to translate textbook-like medical steps into conversational snippets, according to Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, general internal medicine physician and associate medical director of Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions. “People want 20-second answers,” said Pruthi. “'Get me what I need to know now.'”

KTAR, Study finds burnout among doctors could lead to medical errors, deaths by Griselda Zetino — Researchers concluded medical errors are more than twice as likely to happen if a doctor has signs of burnout. “We need to understand that the problem of burnout isn’t a problem with the doctors,” Dr. Cynthia Stonnington, chair of psychiatry and psychology at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, said. Instead, Stonnington said, it has more to do with doctors seeing an increase in their workload, including having to fill out electronic health records and meeting additional documentation requirements. “All that time that doctors end up spending takes away from the reason that they started in medicine, which is connecting with their patients,” she said.

KEYC Mankato, Minnesota Continues Toward Zero Deaths Campaign by Nick Kruszalnicki — Summer can be one of the deadliest seasons out on Minnesota roads. Last year 88 drivers lost their lives in speed related crashes in our state. First responders are working hard to drop that number down to zero...Dr. Scott Zietlow, a trauma surgeon with the Mayo Clinic, said: "We are part of the team. Law enforcement is usually there first, fire will be there for extrication and we're there for taking care of the patients and then transporting them back to an appropriate trauma center."

Mankato Free Press, Diversity trainer addresses adversity in race relations by Brian Arola — Your intentions don’t have to be bad for what you say to have a negative impact. Maura Cullen, set to speak in Mankato Thursday, based a book on this premise. The speaker and author of “35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say,” will talk as part of a Mayo Clinic Health System special event at 6 p.m. at the Verizon Center…Before the free talk Thursday evening, Cullen will hold a presentation with Mayo Clinic Health System staff. Dr. Jacqueline Corona, regional chair of Mayo Clinic Health System’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, said promoting inclusivity has been a strong focus at Mayo Clinic Health System in recent years.

Albert Lea Tribune, New Mayo pediatricians to attend meet and greet — Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin will introduce new pediatricians Ayokunie Olubaniyi and Vijay Venugopal during Wind Down Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the splash pad on North Broadway in Albert Lea. Olubaniyi comes to Albert Lea after finishing his pediatrics residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in New York City. Venugopal is leaving his post at Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, New York, to join Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. Parents and children will be able to meet and talk to pediatricians and learn about their special skills and interests in an out-of-office setting.

Fairmont Sentinel, Lytle goes above, beyond by Judy Bryan — For 17 years, Darla Lytle has made life a little easier for chemotherapy and infusion therapy patients at Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont. Her co-workers praise her professionalism and dedication as she cares for patients receiving chemotherapy or other intravenous treatments, and how she often surpasses the normal responsibilities of a registered nurse. Lytle recently was named a 2018 recipient of the Mae Berry award, an honor given annually to only two non-physician employees at Mayo Clinic Health System, which includes campuses around the country.

Fairmont Sentinel, Student earns rare opportunity with Mayo by Brooke Wohlrabe — Lauren Scott just finished the Mayo Career Immersion Program, a free week-long learning opportunity at the Mayo campus in Rochester. Of the 40 juniors and seniors selected across Minnesota to attend, Scott — a senior at Fairmont High School — was the only one from Martin County and the first from Fairmont. Her mother, Diana, had seen something about the program on the Mayo clinic website. Later, the school sent out a notice as well.

WKBT La Crosse, Local health professionals want to remind you about the health benefits to getting out in sun by Alex Fischer — News 8 spoke with Mary Duh, a certified physician assistant with Mayo Clinic Health System in Onalaska, who said that a combination of sun exposure and eating certain foods is the best way to get Vitamin D. Duh listed salmon, tuna, eggs and cheese as foods that naturally contain Vitamin D. Duh said Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, keeps your skin healthy and can actually help prevent skin cancer and other cancers.

WKBT La Crosse, Mayo Clinic says people should watch for Rocky Mountain spotted fever symptoms by Troy Neumann — After the death of a La Crosse County woman, local health care providers want people to know the signs of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Mayo Clinic Health System says people should watch for a fever, muscle aches, joint and abdominal pains, and a rash. Those symptoms are common between many tick-borne diseases... but the rash would develop on your extremities and head inwards, rather than the bulls-eye rash associated with Lyme's disease…"Really, what you want to focus on are areas behind your ears, your hairline, your armpits, between the legs, behind the knees. These are the typical areas where you can find these critters,” said Mayo Clinic Infectious Diseases Specialist Ala Dababneh.

WQOW Eau Claire, Park Safety Camp teaches kids to stay out of danger by Evan Hong — Volunteers from Mayo Clinic Health System are teaching young kids how to be safe in scary situations. More than 80 boys and girls from across the Chippewa Valley gathered at Carson Park Tuesday for the 20th annual Safety Camp, where incoming fourth graders got to learn hands-on about different safety topics. "We built first aid kits today, we learned about pet safety, we're gonna be having electrical safety soon, we'll touch on internet safety, bike safety. So really everything you can pretty much think of as a safety topic we cover," said trauma injury prevention coordinator, Kim Strasburg.

Neurology Today, For Your Patients-Dementia: Exercise May Actually Worsen Dementia, A New Study Suggests That's Not Reason to Give Up on It, Neurologists Say by Dan Hurley — Four months of moderate- to high-intensity exercise in people with dementia resulted in no cognitive benefits, a large randomized trial commissioned by the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health Research found… David S. Knopman, MD, FAAN, professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, agreed that the trial was well done but perhaps not long enough to see an effect. “This trial examined only cognition and activities of daily living as outcomes,” he said. “It didn't look at emotional health, and it didn't look at cardiovascular consequences. The fact that it didn't help cognition after such a short duration of therapy isn't that surprising.”

Neurology Today, At the Bench-Glioblastoma: Ibrutinib Slowed Course of Glioblastoma in Animal Model by Jamie Talan — Ibrutinib, a medication federally-approved for leukemia and lymphoma, slowed the course of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in a mouse model of the disease, according to the results of a study published May 30 in Science Translational Medicine… Jann Sarkaria, MD, professor of radiation oncology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, agreed. It is very important that the drug only targets glioma stem cells and not neural stem cells, he said, and that the combination treatment in the animals “had even more additive benefits. This is encouraging.”

Cancer Therapy Advisor, Value, Not Cost, Should Be Considered for Myeloma Treatment by Andrea S. Blevins Primeau, PhD — Survival of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) has dramatically increased during the past 15 years as the result of the approval of multiple novel agents. There is, however, concern that these novel therapies are associated with high costs that have profound negative financial effects for patients and society. An article published in the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Educational Book, based on an educational presentation at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting in June, highlighted that this view is not entirely accurate, particularly for patients with MM.1“The conversation needs to be centered around value, and not cost. Cost is only part of the equation that determines value,” Rafael Fonseca, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, told Cancer Therapy Advisor.

Healthline, Men Who Get Migraine Headaches May Have Higher Estrogen Levels by Brian Krans — If you or someone you know suffers from migraines, you know they’re much more than just simple headaches. Migraines can involve painful throbbing, sensitivity to light, nausea, and blurred vision… Dr. Amaal J. Starling, a migraine expert with the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, called the study “very interesting.” Since migraine typically affects people in the primes of their lives — and particularly women during their reproductive years — she says it’s an important area to study. “In my clinic, although most of my patients are women, I still see many men with migraine,” she told Healthline. “Before puberty, boys are more likely to have a migraine.”

Daily Mining Gazette, Assistance: Pet therapy is a happy addition to Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital by Graham Jaehnig — Animal-assisted therapy is gaining popularity — and value — across the country. According the Mayo Clinic, Pet therapy is gaining fans in health care and beyond. Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities, Mayo Clinic states. It is a growing field using dogs or other animals in helping people to recover from, or better cope with, health problems such as heart disease, mental health disorders, and even cancer.

Hindustan Times, Punjab needs advanced diagnostic technology to counter cancer: US expert — AMRITSAR : Expressing concern over the growing danger of deadly diseases, including cancer, in Punjab, Dr Ravinderjit Singh, a United States-based expert of bio-chemistry, stated here on Monday that the state needs advanced diagnostic technology to counter cancer and other diseases. Dr Singh is an alumnus of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) and is, at present, working as a consultant in the Division of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, US. He had come to the holy city to deliver a lecture on ‘Synthesis and Function of CortisolDemonstration that God is great Chemist’ during a seminar organised by the department of chemistry, GNDU.

Medscape, Model Gauges Risk for Pancreatic Cancer at Onset of Diabetes by Nick Mulcahy — A tiny percentage of new-onset diabetes cases are due to pancreatic cancer, but who are these patients? A new model based on three easily accessed patient characteristics provides a way of zooming in on this small group by stratifying the risk for this cancer in the larger group of patients, according to American researchers. The predictive model, known as END-PAC (Enriching New-Onset Diabetes for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma), is based on change in weight, change in blood glucose, and age at onset of diabetes (as determined by glycemia)… The new model "readily risk stratifies subjects with glycemically-defined new-onset diabetes, clearly defining those who warrant work-up for pancreatic cancer," write Suresh Chari, MD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues.

Express UK, Dementia diet: Prevent memory loss by eating a mediterranean diet by Luke Andrews — Dementia may be prevented by eating a mediterranean diet. That’s according to several health websites and a host of scientific studies…“Research suggests the mediterranean diet may slow cognitive decline in older adults,” Jonathan Graff-Radford, MD, told the Mayo Clinic. “It can also reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment, a transitional stage between the cognitive decline of normal ageing and dementia, and reduce the risk of this disease progressing into Alzheimer’s disease.”

Gulf Times, Treating Your Sunburn — It boils down to what’s in the term sunburn: “sun” and “burn.” Simply put, the sun burns your skin. And the result can be pain, redness, blisters and peeling skin. “Prevention is the key,” says Dr Cindy Kermott, a Mayo Clinic preventive medicine physician. “But if you’ve already been sunburned, taking a cool shower or bath can be a helpful start.” Kermott says the cool water from a shower, bath or cold compress works to tame the inflammation that occurs around a sunburn. Taking an anti-inflammatory medicine can help too. Drinking plenty of water will help replenish what your body is losing in battling the sunburn.

Bustle, A New HPV Test Shows Promising Results In Detecting The Development Of Cervical Cancer, Study Finds by Natalia Lusinski — Cervical cancer is often detected through Pap smears; after all, there is a correlation between human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer. But now, a study shows that a new HPV test showed promising results in finding precancerous cervical changes. And, not only that, but the test was more accurate than Pap smears at doing so. The research was conducted through a controlled study, and the results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on July 3… While some people with HPV with get papillomas — also known as warts — not everyone will. In many cases, the body’s immune system gets rid of an HPV infection before warts appear, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Bustle, How To Stop Nightmares From Happening, According To Experts by Kyli Rodriguez-Cayro — Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is specifically designed to make chronic nightmares seem less scary for people with PTSD, with the help of a trained mental health professional. According to the Mayo Clinic, "imagery rehearsal therapy involves changing the ending to your remembered nightmare while awake so that it's no longer threatening. You then rehearse the new ending in your mind." Keeping a dream journal may also be part of IRT.

Refinery29, If You Must Work Out In This Heat, Here's What You Need To Know by Cory Stieg — In the summertime many of us are itching to ditch the gym and go for a run outside or take an outdoor yoga class — but it's just so damn hot and humid. Right now, as many parts of the country are riding out a hellish heat wave, you might be wondering whether working out in the heat is a good idea? Exercising in the heat can be dangerous, because it puts you at risk for heat-related illness, so it's important to know when to take things indoors… There are a few symptoms of heat-related illness that you should be aware of, like heat cramps, nausea or vomiting, weakness, fatigue, headache, and dizziness, according to the Mayo Clinic… Plan your workout for the early morning or wait until the evening, when the sun is lowest, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Third Age, The Importance of Getting a Second Opinion by Dr. Nathanael Desire — People always hear about getting a second opinion. Many people even threaten to “get a second opinion”, but never do, although, when they do, at least one study suggests, they often get a differing opinion. A 2005 Gallup Poll that surveyed 5,000 Americans found that about half reported “never” seeking a second opinion and only 3 percent got a second opinion on a diagnosis, treatment, operation or drug. Yet when they do seek a second opinion, many find it to be very helpful. For example, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study led by researcher James Naessens, Sc. D., nearly 9 out of 10 patients seeking a second opinion at Mayo go home with a different diagnosis—completely changing treatment plans and prognoses for some patients.

Pharma Times, The dementia dilemma by Ana Nicholls — Many of the recent trial failures have involved beta secretase cleaving enzyme (BACE) inhibitors. These are intended to prevent or reverse the build-up of beta-amyloid, which clumps together to form plaques in the brain that, in turn, appear to be linked to Alzheimer’s…According to Professor Clifford Jack of the Mayo Clinic, one possibility is that BACE inhibitors are tackling the disease too late: the plaques have started doing irreversible damage to the brain long before dementia appears. He argues that Alzheimer’s is the culmination of decades of molecular change, nerve damage and brain degeneration, and that it’s vital to look earlier in the chain of events. So hope rests on one of two options. The first is that researchers can find early biomarkers for the disease and then develop new ways to prevent it from developing in the first place.

News-medical.net, Young patients show positive long-term clinical outcomes after surgery for meniscus tears — Young patients who underwent surgery for isolated meniscus tears between 1990 and 2005 showed positive long-term clinical results, according to new research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego. The study represents one of the largest long-term follow-up cohorts describing clinical outcomes of meniscus repair in pediatric patients to date. "The patients we observed at a long-term follow up had an average IKDC score of 92.3, continuing increases from the pre-operative average of 65.3 and mid-term average of 90.2," noted corresponding author Aaron Krych, MD, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "These numbers show a significant, lasting improvement in functional outcomes for those involved in this study."

Romper, Smoking Near Children May Lead To This Health Condition Later In Life, New Research Finds by Vanessa Taylor — …Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by regular pauses in breathing while asleep. In mild cases, according to the Mayo Clinic, it can prevent somebody from getting a full night's sleep as their body will jolt them awake whenever it senses they aren't getting enough air. However, an additional complication includes risk of high blood pressure or heart problems, as "sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during sleep apnea increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system," as explained by the Mayo Clinic.

Health Data Management, AI use in cancer treatment is in the early stages by Jim Ericson — Oncology providers can greatly benefit from machine-discovered markers and indicators that identify patients suitable for specialized care, which helps to compensate for time and labor constraints they face. "We want to find the right patient who can specifically benefit from our care because there are lots of different providers out there," says Tulia Haddad, chair of Breast Medical Oncology at Mayo Clinic. "With the right profiles, we can quickly identify the patients who can benefit."

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9 infant illnesses to watch for (and when to worry) by Shari Perkins — Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: Hand, foot and mouth disease starts with symptoms like a sore throat, reduced appetite and fever. Within 24 to 48 hours, small red spots start to develop. Eventually those spots will blister and become painful sores that affect the mouth, palms and the soles of the feet for about seven days…When to call the doctor: If you notice your child's symptoms getting worse or if they are unable to drink fluids, the Mayo Clinic recommends seeing a doctor.

KQED, Should All Ph.D.'s Be Called 'Doctor'? Female Academics Say Yes by Allie Weill — The bias reflected in these stories is backed up by data. Last year, a study from the Mayo Clinic found that female doctors were introduced by their first names, rather than a professional title, much more often than male doctors. And on June 25, researchers from Cornell University published results showing that female professionals are half as likely as their male colleagues to be referred to by their last names, a practice that is associated in the study with lower status.

SELF,What’s an Asthma Exacerbation? (Because It Sounds Really Scary.) by Korin Miller — You can have a minor asthma exacerbation with symptoms that get better with quick treatment at home or a severe exacerbation that is life-threatening and requires a trip to the emergency room, according to the Mayo Clinic. Either way, the exact mix of signs and symptoms of an asthma exacerbation can vary from person to person. This is why it’s really important to work with your doctor to identify your personal red flags that your asthma is getting dangerous.

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